You can have the most trendy haircut and beautiful, stylish clothing, but if your skin looks dry, blotchy and saggy, you’ll end up looking older than you really are. Fortunately, there are plenty of things we can do to keep our skin, our body’s largest organ, healthy, happy and looking its best. To find out how, check out these skincare tips:
Wear Sunscreen
As WebMD notes, one of the best ways to take care of your skin is to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects you against both UVA and UVB rays with an SPF of 30 or higher. Even on cloudy days, the sun’s harmful rays can hit your skin. So try to make applying sunscreen part of your regular morning routine, alongside brushing your teeth and putting on mascara. Soon, you’ll be so used to doing it, it won’t feel like an extra step.
Choose Makeup with SPF Protection
Whether you wear makeup regularly or for special occasions only, be sure to choose a brand that has built-in sunscreen. This will give your skin an extra boost of protection. A great brand to try is Amway’s Artistry collection; aside from being a favorite of makeup artists, the collection features products like foundation with SPF protection included. Check out Amway’s Twitter account for cool photos of Rick DiCecca and a team of ABO makeup artists using the Artistry collection on models at the recent New York Fashion Week.
Quit Smoking
In addition to being bad for your overall health and costing an arm and a leg, smoking is really damaging to your skin. Smoking has been linked to premature wrinkling and regularly inhaling on cigarettes can lead to fine lines around your mouth. If you’re a smoker and are also concerned about your skin’s appearance, making efforts to quit is the logical next step.
Drink More Water
Our bodies are made up of about 75 percent water and, when we don’t hydrate enough, our skin lets us know by looking dry and flaky. To facilitate getting the recommended eight glasses a day, treat yourself to a stylish, reusable water bottle and keep it near you at all times. Also, watch that you are not drinking too many beverages that dehydrate you—this includes caffeine and alcohol.
Wash Your Skin Regularly and Carefully
If you tend to fall into bed exhausted, barely taking the time to change into pajamas much less washing your face, consider changing your bedtime routine to make time for skincare. Your skin has been exposed to all kinds of dust and dirt, makeup and impurities throughout the day and deserves to have a good cleaning before you nod off. As Healthy Women suggests, choose a product that contains natural ingredients like beeswax or mineral oil—both are super effective at removing dirt. Also, instead of using regular soap, which can dry out the skin, find a liquid cleanser that contains vegetable and fruit oils and/or coconut oil. Washing your face at night will only take a couple of minutes, so try to do it before or after brushing your teeth.
Add in a Great Moisturizer
You help your skin to hold in water by smoothing on a moisturizer. A great time to apply is right after cleaning your skin at night. Choose one with natural ingredients that won’t sting or irritate your skin; some of these ingredients include citrate, minerals, amino acids and lactate.